Attachment for printing presses



Sept. 25, 1934. A RQBERTS 1,974,469

ATTACHMENT Fon PRINTING PRESSES .Enea March 1. 195s Patented Sept. 25V, 1,934v

UNiVrED STATESv lPMrlazNr oFFIcE 1,914,469 ATTACHMENT Fon PRINTING PRESSES 'I Alexander Roberts, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application March y1, 1933, serial N0. 659,065

t f 5 claims. l (cien- 61) The invention relates to printing presses and more particularly to attachments therefor, In many printing presses, and more particularly those designed for multi-colored printing, it is necessary to accurately positionthe sheets of paper in the press in order to secure the desired results, and to provide for accurate registration vof thev different colors in the case of multicolored printing. VIn such printing presses the sheets of paper, during the operation of the press are subjected to forces,V as exemplied for instance by a-rebound, which rendersthe imprint receiving position of such sheets unreliable and accordingly ofttimes results in'defective printing and inaccurate registratio'nof colors. `The object of the invention is'to overcome the aforesaid objections by providing an attachment of :simple Aconstruction which maybe readilyincorporated in the printing press and whereby the paper sheets are accurately and uniformly maintained in a predetermined andconstant printing position. The invention contemplates furtheran attachment of the indicated type which may be readily adjusted for co-operation with sheets of different dimensions without requiring anypari ticular skill on'the part of the operator.v Other objects will appear from the description hereinv'after and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which shows an example of the invention and its application without defining the limits, Fig. 1 isa fragmentary sectional elevation of a printing press .with Ythe novel attachment embodied therein; Fig;V 2 is a plan View of the attachmention an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section-.of the attachment on a still larger scale; Fig. 4 is acrosssection on the line 1 -4 of Fig.'3, and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detailsection showing a-modication ofthe invention.

For the purpose of illustration1 and 'description the attachment isshown inthe drawing as embodied in a so-called vertical printing press for which it is particularly adapted, it being understood however vthat this is only an example ofthe utility of the invention which does not and is not intended to define the limits thereof.

of the frame 5'of the press in which provision is made, in the customary manner, for removably supporting the chase 6 containing the type or othermatter to be printed; the illustration furdiscloses a roller 7 journalled on vertically ther i:multi-colored printing in which the slightest Vva- .,riation in the position of the Sheets V13 -on the movable carriers 8 whereby the roller 'lis ycaused to travelacross-the'face` ofthe type vor other vmatter contained in the chase 6 to produce im- Vpositions for receiving the paper sheets 13 from the table 9 and clamping them on the roller 7 and 65 for releasing said sheets in proper synchronism with the operation of the press.

The sheetsof paper 13 to be printed are stacked upon 'a feed table 14 vertically movable in the customary manner inthe illustrated type of press,

said sheets 13 being successively removed" from the top*l of the stack and delivered to the paper tab1e'9 by means of a suction device 15 in the Well known way; the suction' device 15 is carried by Suitable proing the various portions of the press in predetermined operative sequence.

In presses of the illustrated class the paper 80 sheets 13 'are successively picked up by the sucltion device 15 and delivered to the paper table 9 from which said sheets 13 are individually transferred to the roller 7, the clips 12 of which serve vlevers 16 pivoted at V17 upon suitable portions of 75 `the press asindicated in Fig. 1. .vision is made in any usual mannerfor operatto clamp each sheet in position on said roller 7.

"In the operation of the press the roller 'l is rotated on its axis to withdraw the sheets 13 from the paper table 9, and coincidentally travels up- `Wardly to cause said sheets 13 to pass over the type or other matter contained in the chase', in 90 ing position of the'sheets of paper 13 is deter- 95 mined by the relation of said sheets 13 to the clips 12 when Ythe latter are operated to `clamp Asa'id'sheets on the roller 7. Because of the fact jhowevergthat during the aforesaid operations of thefllu'strated typeof press, the sheets of paper 13 'are subjected to forceswhich cause saidshe'ets Y The illustration in Fig; 1 includes a portion for instance to rebound from the c11ps 12 before the latter have developed a gripping action theretions; the latter tend to produce defective printing, this being particularly true in'the case of roller 7 interferes with the accurate registration of successive colors necessary to the production of the desired color effects.

To overcome these difiiculties and to secure absolute accuracy and uniformity in positioning the sheets 13 for printing, I have pro-vided the attachment or device shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. In its illustrated form the attachment or device comprises a guide member 18 preferably made` of metaland consisting of a bottom 19 turned upwardly and inwardly along its opposite edges to form side flanges 20 spaced from the bottom 19 to define two parallel guide grooves (121' as shown in Fig. 4; the attachment or device may be secured in operative position, for instanceupon' the paper table 9 of the press shown in Fig. 1, in any convenient manner, as by means of screws 22 which are accommodated in screw-holesZS- provided in the bottom 19 as illustrated in Fig. 3. The attachment or device, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, further includes a slide 24 slidably accommodated in the guide grooves 21 so as to be v.adjustable lengthwise of the guide member 1,8,to 'different positions thereon. The slide 24 is provided, for instance at its opposite ends withupright stops 25 and 26 which project upwardly beyond the .Side nanseeZO, preferably .in Yperpendicularrelaton to the slide 24, the arrangement Vbeingsuch thatthe one stop, for instance the stop 2 6projects somewhat higher than the other stop, as illustrated in Fig. 3; in the preferred construction the slide 24 and stops 25 and 26V are struck or stamped from a single piece of metal soA as to constitute integral parte Of the Senne unit, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, although this is not absolutely essential and merely represents an economicai and simple for-n1 of manufacture. Any suitable rneans may be provided for fixingv the slide v24 and stops 25 and 2 6 in an adjusted position on the guide member 18. In thedrawing this means comprises a pair of set screws 27 screwed into threaded openings located directly inthe slide 24 and Passing through Seid Openings into .Contact with the bottom 19 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; to prevent unintentional, loosening of the set screws `27, leek nuts 2;.8 may be provided thereon. In eenstructions in which the slide 24 is not of sufficient thickness to provide efficient mountings for the set screws 27, said slide 2 4 may be provided with l internally threaded bushings 24e for accommodating Asaid screws 24; these bushings24a may be Secured. unen the Slide 24111 any Suitable manner as by being riveted in place thereon as shown Fig. 5. With the above arrangements the set screws 27 by bearing against the bottom 19 force the Slide 2.4 inte engagement with the lower surfaces of the flanges 20 aS illustrated in Fig. 4, and thereby'locl; said slide 24 in an adjusted positionagainst unintentional movement lengthwise ofthe grooves 21 as previously stated the loci; nuts 28 nx the screws 27 against unintentional loosening.

'between the clips l2 and the stop 25 corresponds to the dimension of the paper sheets l3- in the direction of feed thereof; if this dimension is beyond the range of adj-ustability of the stop 25, or for other reasons it may be desirable to do so, the

slide 24 is adjusted to space the stop 26 from the clips l2 in accordance with said dimension of the sheets 13 for example as indicated by dotted lines at the right in Fig. 2. In either case, after the desired adjustment has been effected, the lock nuts 28 are screwed down to lock the screws 27 against rotation and to thereby x the slide 24 and with it the stops 25 and 26 in the adjusted position. Y

,As the sheets 13v are now transferred to the roller 7, the rear edges of said sheets will drop in front of the projection 25 or 26 as the case may be, When the forward edges of said sheets 13 engage the clips 12 on the roller 7 as indicated in Fig. l; if, vbecause of thesize of the sheets 13 or for `some other reason, the stop 26 is being used,

said sheets v13, when in the position shown in Fig. 1, will pass over the stop 25 which is somewhat shorter than the stop 26 in order to make this possible. In any event, regardless as to Whether the stop 25 or 26 isbeingutilized, the successivesheets 13 will be prevented from shifting as themesult of a rebound Yor any other dis turbing force which may be developed in the operation of thepress; consequently the sheets 13 Vwill b el positively transferred tothe roller 47 and will, at all times and under all operative conditions, occupy constant printing positions which are in accurate and in uniformv accord with each other and withV the type or other matterA contained in the chase 6. Successive printings of the same sheets 1 3, as is required for-instance in certain type of multi-colored printing thus positively assures, an accuraterlanduniform `registration throughout such successive printings whereby the desired color effects are secured in an absolutely reliable and eiiicient manner and without variation. A The resulting printed matter is therefore of maximum qualityand free from defects due for instance to shifting of the sheets and consequent non-registration Aof initially printed matter with mattersubsequently produced on the same sheetsthe device also properly predetermines the position of the impressions upon successive sheets. The vattachmentior device is extremely simple in construction,andcperation and requires no particular skill in its manipulation; at :the same time the attachment is of such a character that it may be incorporated in existing Yprinting presses Without difficulty and be just as easily removed therefrom `if, this shouldrbecome necessary or desirable for any reason.

The attachment or device avoids the necessit for theextreme care Vand time consuming effort which areat present required to secure even a measure. of uniformity in the classV of printing under discussion, and overcomes the objections heretoforev existing therein; atthe same time waste and, consequent economic loss incidental to defective printing nowexisting is completely done away with. Y Y Y Y y Y It will of course be understood'that the location ofl the attachment in the printing press is dependent upon the character and type of the particular press in which said attachment is to be installed and the workA performed thereby; itis further obvious that the device, `While ,it is primarily designed for the purposes set forth hereinbefore, may be used for other positioning or equivalent functions inl connection with printing `presses or with machines of other types in which sheets Vof material is4 an the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a printing press including means for producing impressions, conveying means for moving the sheets to be printed into impressionv receiving relation to said impression producing means, and feeding means for transferring said sheets to said conveying means, that improvement which comprises an attachment adapted to provide a predetermined constant and invariable printing position for said sheets, said attachment consisting of a grooved guide member, a slide adjustable relatively to said grooved guide member to different positions therein, a pair of spaced stops on said slide arranged to independently co-operate with sheets of different dimensions, set screws for xing said slide in said grooved guide rmember, and lock nuts for locking said set screws in operative positions.

2. In a printing press including means for producing impressions, conveying means for moving the sheets to be printed into impression receiving relation to said impression producing means, and feeding means for transferring said sheets to said conveying means, that improvement which comprises an attachment adapted to provide a predetermined constant and invariable printing position for said sheets, said attachment consisting of a grooved guide member, a slide adjustable relatively to said grooved guide member to different positions therein, a pair of spaced stops on said slide arranged to independently co-operate with sheets of different dimensions, and manually controlled means for fixing said slide in said grooved slide member.

3. An attachment of the kind described comprising a bottom member, side flanges extending lengthwise of said bottom member to dene guide grooves along opposite edges thereof, a slide slidably mountecl'in said grooves, stops of different height located at opposite ends of said slide in perpendicular relation thereto, said stops comprising integral parts of said slide, a pair of set screws threaded into and through said slide into engagement with said bottom member whereby said slide is clamped beneath and in contact with said slide iianges for xing said slide in an adjusted position, and lock nuts for locking said set screws against operation.

4. An attachment of the kind described comprising a bottom member, side anges extending lengthwise of said bottom member to define guide grooves along opposite edges thereof, a slide slidably mounted in said grooves, independent stops carried by said slide in perpendicular relation thereto and spaced apart in the direction of the length of said slide, and means carried by said slide and co-operating with said bottom member and side flanges for fixing said slide in said grooves.

5. An attachment of the kind described comprising a bottom member, side flanges extending lengthwise of said bottom member to define guide grooves along opposite edges thereof, a slide slidably mounted in said grooves, stops of different height located at opposite ends of said slide in perpendicular relation thereto, said stops comprising integral parts of said slide, and means carried by said slide and co-operating with said bottom member to force said slide into engage-' ment with said flanges whereby the slide is fixed y in an adjusted position.

' ALEXANDER ROBERTS. 

